OVER 14 MILLION FEEL THE NFL'S POWER, UP CLOSE AND IN PERSON

The NFL announced that paid attendance for the '97
regular season was the second-highest total in NFL history.
Fans purchased 14,966,294 tickets to the NFL's 240 regular-
season games in '97, representing paid attendance at 90%
capacity. This total was topped only by the 15,043,562 paid
attendance record set in '95. The league increased paid
attendance 353,877 from last season. The average regular-
season attendance in '97 was 62,360, compared to 60,885 in
'96, an increase of nearly 1,500 per game (NFL). For final
AFC regular-season attendance, see (#29).
LABOR GAINS? On CNBC's "The Edge," Barbara Monaco
reported on the NFL's effort to extend its CBA with the
NFLPA, and the impact that may have on its new TV deals:
"The strategy for guaranteed labor peace is one that some
analysts say could bring the NFL an extra $60 million
increase in its TV contracts." SportsCorp.'s Marc Ganis:
"[They're talking about] not just doing a four-year [TV]
deal, but also adding two three-year options, potentially
making it a ten-year deal. That raises the stakes for the
networks to get in now." Pilson Communications' Neal
Pilson: "To project seven years out creates some
extraordinary financial risks, and I don't know if the
networks are prepared to do that" ("The Edge," 1/6).
TOP FIVE NFL REGULAR-SEASON ATTENDANCES
YEAR ATTENDANCE GAMES AVERAGE
1995 15,043,562 240 62,682
1997 14,966,294 240 62,360
1996 14,612,417 240 60,885
1994 14,030,435 224 62,636
1993 13,966,843 224 62,352